Duchess of Weaselskin

Bayfield, Colorado - Saturday evening around dusk we spotted these two 4x4 (Colorado Point) Bucks grazing in our north yard. They grazed for awhile while we watched on and then jumped the creek that runs through the yard and strolled on south down the road.

We stumbled across the You know you're from Alva if . . . website on Facebook a few weeks ago and was reading where Monet Monfort Lion asked if anyone remembered drinking a soda fountain drink called a "graveyard." Monet goes on to tell us that it was from the soda fountains of old and a concoction of coca cola and a squirt of every syrup they had. Monet said, "I drank them at Monfort's and Schumachers -- don't remember them at Reynolds or Holders." Has anyone ever heard of the soda fountain "graveyard" drink?

Regarding the OkieLegacy Feature #1489, Rhonda J. McMurtrey comments, "Regarding the McMurtrey property, correct spelling is "Ronal." Great article!

Marguerite McMurtrey commented, "The Ronal McMurtrey home was the hospital unit at the POW camp. It was purchased at auction by Wentz & Inis McMurtrey, Ronal's parents, and moved to their farm 5 miles east of the Dacoma Road on 5th Street & 1/2 mile north. It was placed over a full basement and completely remodeled. The family moved into the home in 1947. Ronal and his wife, Marguerite (Gower), moved into it in 1959 and Wentz and Inis moved to Cherokee. Ronal & Marguerite raised their 3 children there and still live there. (Note the correct spelling of Ronal McMurtrey.)"

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This Day In History (August 22)

America - On this day: August 22, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first United States chief executive to ride in an automobile in public. It was in Hartford, Connecticut, August 22, 1902, President Roosevelt began his tour of New England amid scenes of remarkable enthusiasm. Roosevelt landed from the yacht Syip, at New Haven, shortly after 1 pm in the afternoon, progressing to on through New England. he addressed an audience of more than 5,000 persons in the Coliseum. For more of his journey Click and READ HERE.

On This Date August 22 . . .

• 1485 - England's King Richard III was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field, ending the War of the Roses.
• 1846 - The United States annexed New Mexico.
• 1851 - The schooner America outraced the Aurora off the English coast to win a trophy that became known as the America's Cup.
• 1893 - Author, poet, critic and wit Dorothy Parker was born in West Bend, N.J.
• 1902 - President Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. chief executive to ride in an automobile, in Hartford, Conn.
• 1904 - Chinese communist leader Deng Xiaoping was born in Sichuan province.
• 1956 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Vice President Richard M. Nixon were nominated for second terms by the Republican National Convention in San Francisco.
• 1986 - Kerr-McGee Corp. agreed to pay the estate of Karen Silkwood $1.38 million, settling a 10-year-old nuclear contamination lawsuit.

NW Okie's Corner

Bayfield, Colorado - The photo on the left is a view probably taken from the roof of the Monfort building on the downtown square. As you look South up College Avenue (6th Street) you can see the Stipp's Department Store, Congregational church and the Castle on the Hill after a rain storm. Also in the background you catch a glimpse of Alva's first water tower to the left and slightly behind the Castle.

Where you see the Alva Lumber Company is where the Alva State Bank is today (NE corner of College Ave. and Center St.). by the way, does anyone know anything about the Charles D. Stipp family that settled around Northwest Oklahoma Territory?

Do you have a Facebook account? If so and you are from Northwest Oklahoma (particularly Alva) you need to connect to the following group site, You Know You're From Alva If. . .. Vicki Cunningham shared some of those old Alva photos that the Cherokee Strip Museum - Alva has accumulated onto a CD that the museum sells to raise funds for the museum.

The Cherokee Strip Museum - Alva also has other items to sell of historic value concerning Northwest Oklahoma pioneers. AND . . . the museum in the old Alva General Hospital located in the West part of town on 14th Street has a superb collection of the pioneers histories through Oklahoma Territory. For more information check out their Facebook page above and click on "Info" for their address, phone, website and hours that they are open to the public (Tuesday thru Sunday, 2pm thru 5pm).

While you are visiting the Cherokee Strip Museum in Alva, Oklahoma, there is another item (history book) that you might want to purchase. Early Woods County (ISBN 9780738583105) by author Beverly Kinzie, published by Arcadia Publishing, has been on sale since May 30, 2011.

It contains a history of Woods County, Oklahoma and showcases images dating from 1894 to statehood in 1907. It covers the period of early settlement and the hardships of pioneers in a new territory. It includes the growth from a wide open prairie to the beginnings of small towns and school districts, from mostly one-room schoolhouses to the Normal School for higher education.

People from all walks of life came to the Cherokee Outlet before the land run of 1893 and after. Those frontier inhabitants suddenly found themselves nearly alone on the wide expanse of prairie unbroken by a single building and with almost no trees. Early settlers came from across the country and even from across the ocean, many with nothing but the clothes on their backs and hope. These new residents carved out a living and made Woods County what it is today.

The Author's Bio reads as follows: Beverly S. Kinzie came to Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma, as a bride 50 years ago. She and her husband, Wayne, built an international aviation business which they owned and operated for over 45 years while raising a family of four children. Beverly has been involved with numerous church and community activities, all of which help preserve the history of Woods County.

It was in 1975 that the Cherokee Strip Museum Association acquired the former Alva City Hospital building with its 40 rooms to house one of Oklahoma's best collections of pioneer exhibits was set up to display northwestern Oklahoma artifacts. Check out Cherokee Strip Museum website.

While you are over at the You know you're from Alva if. . . Facebook page, scroll down to where Mark Bellah posted about still looking for early pictures of the Nickel/McClure mansion and any information on the Nickel family. If you have any information or photos, get in contact with him. Thanks!

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Great Uncle Robert Lee Warwick

Oklahoma - Our great uncle Robert Lee Warwick was the younger brother of our grandmother, Constance Estella (Warwick) McGill. During WW I, Robert Lee Warwick joined the Canadian Expeditionary (WW I 1919) and the C.A.C. (Coast Artillery Corp 1914). I know have written about this before in the archives of the OkieLegacy Ezine, but for those just now coming on board, I will reiterate this part of the family story.

In an old family bible we found a rather delicate, worn and taped WWI Reservists Descriptive Card; a letter from Buckingham Palace; and a Canadian Expeditionary Force Discharge certificate for R. Lee Warwick dated June 29, 1919. Robert Lee Warwick served in Canada Force Corps in France. He enlisted in the Canadian Corps, April 12th, 1917. The demobilization of the service was the reason for his discharge in Toronto, Canadian, June 29, 1919. Here is the rest of the story at Great Uncle Robert Lee Warwick & WWI.

I am still trying to verify if the pictures of the two football players and the CAC could be photos of my great uncle, Robert Lee Warwick. Robert was born November 5, 1887, Monterey, Virginia, son of John Robert and Signora Belle (Gwin) Warwick. In 1914, Robert L. Warwick enlisted in the U. S. Army where he served three years with the Coast Artillery Corp (CAC) 5th Company. He then joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Toronto, Canada and was sent to France with the Canadian Army. He served through World War I and received his discharge June 29, 1919.

Inscription on the old time football players in the photoreads as follows:

Finians Rainbow (1947 Broadway Original)

Do you believe in Leprechauns and finding "pots of gold?" My other half found a bunch of old vinyl records at various weekend garage sales around southwest Colorado area. One of those collections is record booklet of 6 old 78rpms of a Columbia records set M-MM-686 for the Original recording of the1947 Broadway Musical of Finian's Rainbow.

Finian's Rainbow was produced by Lee Sabinson and William R. Katzell with the cast of Ella Logan, Donald Richards, David Wayne and three Lyn Murray Singers. I hooked my Stanton T90 turntable up to my laptop to rip one of the Finian's Rainbow tunes, How Are Things In Glocca Morral, from the vinyl record. Finian's Rainbow - How Are Things In Glocca Morral

Finian's Rainbow was adapted from the book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy. The lyrics by E. Y. Harburg and the music by Burton Lane. Vocal arrangements by Lyn Murray with orchestra under the direction of Ray Charles and Musical arrangements by Robert Russell Bennett and Don Walker. It was recorded under the direction of Mitchell Ayres, directed by Bretaigne Windust and choreography by Michael Kidd with settings by Jo Mielziner and costumes by Eleanor Goldsmith.

Finian's Rainbow was original 1947 Broadway production that ran for 725 performances. There were several adaptions such as the 1968 film version. There was also a Broadway revival that ran from October 8, 2009 until January 17, 2010.

Finain's Rainbow is a combination of whimsy, romance and political satire. The plot revolves around Finian McLonegan, who has emigrated from Ireland to the town of Rainbow Valley in the mythical state of Missitucky with his daughter Sharon, intent on burying a stolen pot of gold in the shadows of Fort Knox, in the belief it would grow and multiply.

Finian's daughter was followed by a leprechaun, played by David Wayne, who is intent on recovering his treasure, before the loss of it turns him permanently human. And as always, complicating matters there is a corrupt senator who makes no effort to conceal his racial bigotry and the wishes made by those unknowingly in the vicinity of the hidden crock, including Sharon, who gives the senator a taste of his own hateful medicine by accidentally turning him black (temporarily).

The original Broadway production opened on January 10, 1947 at the 64th Street Theatre, running for 725 performances with cast: Ella Logan as Sharon, Donald Richards as Woody, Albert Sharpe as Finian, the Lyn Murray Singers and David Wayne as the leprechaun.

David Wayne won both the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a musical (1st ever given) and the Theatre World Award for his performance as Og. The show received Tonys for Best Conductor and Musical Director (Milton Rosenstock) and Best Choreography. A London production opened at the Place Theatre on October 21, 1947, running for only 55 performances. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

IT'S IN THE BOOK by (Johnny Standley / Art Thorsen)

America - I know a few years back we had a feature concerning Johnny Standley / Art Thorsen's 78rpm record entitled It's In the Book, but not sure we had the entire lyrics. Johnny Standley with Horace Heidt & His Musical Knights - 1952. It's about Grandma's Lye Soap, A 1952 hit record with side A: Little Bo Peep.

It's in the Book, Part I

It's In the Book, Part II

Lyrics: It's In the Book Part I
I have a message for you, a very sad message! My subject for this evening will be Little Bo Peep.

It says here, "Little Bo Peep", who was a little girl, "has lost her sheep, and doesn't know where to find them". Now that's reasonable, isn't it? It's, it's reasonable to assume if Little Bo Peep had lost her sheep, it's only natural that she wouldn't know where to find them. That, that basically is reasonable, but, uh, "leave them alone". Now that overwhelms me - completely overwhelms me. The man said she lost her sheep, turns right around and boldly states, "She doesn't know where to find them". And then has the stupid audacity to say, "Leave them alone!" Now! Now, now think for a moment! Think! If the sheep were lost, and you couldn't find them, you'd have to leave them alone, wouldn't you? So, "Leave them alone". "Leave them alone". It's in the book!

"Leave them alone and they", they being the sheep, "they will come home". Ah yes, they'll come home. Oh, there'll be a brighter day tomorrow, they will come home! It's in the book.

"They will come home a-waggin' their tails". Pray tell me what else could they wag? "They will come home a-waggin' their tails behind them, behind them!" Did we think they'd wag them in front? Of course, they might have come home in reverse. They could have done that, I really don't know. But, none the less, it's in the book.

So now if you will, kindly pick up your books, and turn to page 222. We'll ask you all to sing. You'll find your books on the backs of your seats. Are we ready?

Part II

Everyone, 222. Let's really enjoy ourselves, let's live it up. All together.

Do you remember grandma's lye soap?
Good for everything in the home
And the secret was in the scrubbing
It wouldn't suds and couldn't foam

Then let us sing right out for grandma's, for grandma's lye soap
Used for, for everything, everything on the place
For pots and kettles, the dirty dishes
And for your hands and for your face

So we'll now sing the second verse. Let's get it with great
exuberance, let's live it up. It's not raining inside tonight.
Everyone, let's have a happy time. Are we ready? All together, the second verse.

Little Herman and brother Thurman
Had an aversion to washing their ears
Grandma scrubbed them with the lye soap
And they haven't heard a word in years

Then let us sing right out for grandma's, for grandma's lye soap
Sing all out, all over the place
For pots and kettles, the dirty dishes
And for your hands and for your face

Well, let's sing what's left of the last verse. Let's have a happy time, everyone. The last verse, all together. Everyone!

Mrs. O'Malley, out in the valley
Suffered from Ulcers, I understand
She swallowed a cake of grandma's lye soap
Has the cleanest ulcers in the land

Then let us sing right out for grandma's, for grandma's lye soap
Sing right out, all over the place
The pots and, the pots and pans, oh dirty dishes
And for your hands and for your face View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (1 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe